In 1982 Chicago, consuming acetaminophen was somewhat akin to playing Russian Roulette. At least seven individuals lost their lives after ingesting cyanide-tainted Extra Strength Tylenol capsules, and the authorities have yet to identify the perpetrator. However, in 2025, filmmakers Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines from the documentary series Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders managed to get the FBI’s sole suspect, James Lewis, to open up extensively on camera. It was producer Molly Forester who secured Lewis’s interview.
Guendelman stated that she was assigned the role of retrieving him, and indeed she managed to do so. She’s particularly skilled at such tasks,” said Guendelman. “Joe Berlinger, a producer on the documentary series, is no less capable in his field.
In 2022, while reporters waited on Lewis’ lawn in hopes of capturing an elusive quote, it was Forester who eventually persuaded him to open the door. She assured Lewis that he would have the opportunity to share his entire story, a commitment she would reinforce repeatedly over the following year.
Forester addressed Lewis, ‘Regardless of the actions you’ve taken, you’re still a fellow human being. We wish to engage with you on that level,'” or simply, “Forester spoke to Lewis, ‘You’re a human being, and we want to communicate with you as such, despite everything.’
“She just sort of got his trust,” Guendelman said.
It’s undeniable that Lewis, who was left as a newborn by his parents, has committed some truly reprehensible acts. However, it remains unproven – and continues to be unverified – whether or not Lewis carried out these alleged “horrible deeds.
Forestor and Lewis developed a particularly close relationship, as did Guendelman (and subsequently Pines) and Lewis, according to Guendelman. They forged an exceptionally close bond.
Apart from that, there was another aspect that undeniably worked in his favor. “On the program,” Guendelman pointed out, “he clearly enjoys being the center of attention.” However, he refrained from giving interviews due to his extreme caution.
One thing that’s never been suggested about Lewis is that he’s not intelligent, or perhaps even a decent person. Although he wasn’t indicted for the actual Tylenol murders, Lewis was found guilty of blackmail for sending a letter to Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson claiming responsibility for the deaths and demanding $1 million in exchange for halting them. Later, Lewis stated that his letter aimed to guide authorities towards his wife’s previous employer. He served a 10-year sentence.
Way back in 1978, Lewis faced a murder charge for the death of Raymond West, his former accountant client. However, shoddy police investigations thwarted any prospect of a successful conviction. In 1983, Lewis was found guilty of mail fraud, and at another instance, he was implicated in an aggravated rape case. Nevertheless, the accuser opted not to proceed with the trial.
In other words, Lewis knew there was a lot of opportunity to slip up during an interview.
For a long time, there had been an urge within him to express himself, as Guendelman explained. Over the past four decades, with others continually seeking him out, it seems that desire to speak and bask in the limelight has only grown stronger.
Shortly after their interview, Lewis died.
Guendelman admitted that it would have been fascinating to record a confession – a aspiration shared by many documentary makers, similar to the situation with Robert Durst on “The Jinx”. However, there’s a distinction between Durst and Lewis.
Pines stated, ‘There are other potential culprits in this matter as well. We’re still unsure if Jim played a part in it.’
Roger Arnold, a dock worker known for having confessed to holding potassium cyanide, has additionally come under scrutiny by law enforcement officials.
Instead of seeking a confession from Lewis, our aim was to directly address the challenging questions concerning this case and the previous suspicions regarding other cases,” Pines elaborated further.
Certainly, they didn’t fail to make an effort. In fact, Guendelman and Pines have already demonstrated the significance of their work within the judicial system.
The team of Guendelman and Pines are responsible for “Shadow of Truth”, a documentary that explores the 2006 murder of a 13-year-old Israeli girl whose remains were discovered in a school restroom. Roman Zadorow, a former employee at the school who had immigrated from Ukraine, was apprehended and convicted for this crime. However, things changed when Guendelman and Pines got involved.
After Netflix acquired the four-part series titled “Shadow of Truth”, it led to a second trial for Zadorow. In the end, he was found not guilty and freed.
Pines stated that true-crime documentaries possess significant influence over real-world events and can accomplish crucial objectives,” or more casually, “According to Pines, these true-crime shows have a lot of power to impact reality and can achieve some really significant things.
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders is now available on Netflix.
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2025-05-26 18:54